Coming Home
by Tarnished Secret
Summary: Meh. Kind of a rewrite to the Chuunin Exam events. Character death, because you know you love it.


_Take my photo off the wall if it just won't sing_

_For you_

_'Cuz all that's left has gone away and there's nothing there for you_

_To prove_

Sakura sighed. It had been five weeks since Sasuke had last talked to her; four and a half weeks since she'd seen him; and four weeks since anyone's talked about him. No one knew exactly what happened after the Chuunin Exam, but when Sakura, Naruto, and Pakkun got there, all they found were two very scared Sand Ninjas and Gaara, dead yet alive. Sasuke had disappeared.

_Oh_

_Look what you've done _

_You've made a fool of everyone_

_Oh, well_

_It seems like such fun until you_

_Lose what you had won_

Temari was able to tell them that he headed south, but at that moment Kakashi showed up. He was not surprised that Sasuke had left. The Hokage had been killed in the process of killing Orochimaru, who had not fully died. It was unspoken but believed that Sasuke had left to find Orochimaru.

_Give me back my point of view 'cuz I just can't think _

_For you_

Sasuke's feet leaped nimbly from tree to tree, racing against himself. It had been five weeks since he'd left that stupid village, and he was currently trying to find some order in his life. His mind was muddled with the thoughts and words of himself, Sakura, Ino, Orochimaru, Kakashi, Naruto, Itachi, Gaara... The list goes on and on inside his head. Right now, as he almost tripped on a twig sticking out of a tree branch, he was trying to decide where to go. His goal was and always will be to kill Itachi... Should he try to find him? But in order to kill Itachi, he needs to become more powerful. Should he seek Orochimaru?

_I can hardly hear you say what should I do while you choose_

_Oh_

_Look what you've done _

_You've made a fool of everyone_

Or... Should he go back to Konoha?

_Oh, well _

_It seems like such fun until you_

_Lose what you had won_

That would be a step backwards, though, wouldn't it be? After all, neither Itachi nor Orochimaru was in Konoha, so what was dragging him back there?

_Flashes of people's faces blurred his eyes and mind as he shook his head viciously. Girl's voices filled his head as he saw Ino and Sakura... Only to be replaced by Naruto, claiming that he would be Hokage. He heard the rustle of book pages as he caught a glimpse of Kakashi, forever enthralled with Icha Icha Paradise. His head cleared for a moment as he recalled the day he, Sakura, and Naruto passed Kakashi's rigorous task of collecting the bells in a display to show them teamwork. _

_Teamwork. _

"I just miss them, that's all." Sasuke scoffed, jumping down from the trees for a moment's break. "It'll pass. This is the right thing to do."

_Oh _

_Look what you've done_

_You've made a fool of everyone_

"...They wouldn't take me back anyway."

_A fool of everyone_

"Yeah..."

_A fool of everyone_

Even as he spoke the words, Sasuke's feet spun him around in the direction of Konoha.

_Take my photo off the wall if it just won't sing_

_For you_

_'Cuz all that's left has gone away and there's nothing there for you_

_To do _

Sakura smiled sadly and picked up the photograph of Team Seven, her eyes lingering on Sasuke as they filled with tears again. "He's not coming back," She whispered quietly.

_Oh _

_Look what you've done_

_You've made a fool of everyone_

_Oh well_

_It seems like such fun until you_

_Lose what you had won_

Sasuke ran as fast as he could. It had been two weeks since his sporadic decision and, with his head cleared and his mind set, he had been traveling at a much faster pace. It would probably only take him a week to get to Konoha. As he ran, he could only think of more reasons to come back, and willed himself to run faster.

_Oh_

_Look what you've done _

_You've made a fool of everyone_

"Oy! Sasuke-kun!" Someone called from the trees. Four shuriken rushed from a thick part of the forest, closely followed by three kunai hitting every fatal spot on his body. In his hastiness, he hadn't noticed the enemy village's ninjas come up to the side of him.

_A fool of everyone_

-Three and a Half Weeks Later-

Sakura walked mutely around Konoha, willing for something or someone to give her something to do. As if on cue, Kakashi appeared suddenly next to her. "Sakura..." He greeted her quietly.

"Is Sasuke back!" She asked excitedly, knowing that some Jounin had gone searching for him out of desperation to keep Orochimaru unarmed with ninja.

"Not exactly... Sakura, we found Sasuke's body."

_A fool..._

"His..."

"He was facing Konoha, though, and we found his tracks going the opposite direction and then doubling back."

"You mean..."

_Of_

_Eve-ryone_

"He was trying to come home."

**Wrote this like... Two weeks ago; just now got the courage to post it. Yeah, I know, it sucks, but come on, don't blame me for trying. Yes, I also know that this isn't altogether accurate, that Sasuke couldn't kill Gaara and Naruto had to fight, and he didn't take off... At least the Hokage really _did _die, right? XD So I switched some stuff, no flames about me ignoring something! Oh, and the song is "Look What You've Done" by Jet, which I do not own, and I do not own the talented cast of Naruto. **


End file.
